CREATING A POSITIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE

Our Preventing a Toxic Workplace Culture training programme doesn't just give you the bad news - the appalling cost of a toxic culture - it explains what you can do to build a positive culture. This is simple to explain, but it isn't easy. It isn't just about training staff or developing a policy. It will only work if your good intentions become a SYSTEM that runs through everything you do and is embraced by your entire organisation.

The goals of the system are to:

Provide a better service to the people your organisation is set up to help and to serve

Make the organisation more efficient, caring, creative, energetic, and fun to work for

Prevent the abuse of staff, clients and any whistleblowers who expose bad practice

Get the best out of staff , retain good staff and attract the best new staff

There are 6 parts of the system:

1. LeadershipIt isn't enough for senior managers and board members to go along with the idea of establishing a positive culture. This new initiative has to be led, pushed through and championed by those at the top of the organisation.

Go public - announce what you are doing.

Agree the membership of a steering group.

Agree a senior manager to lead the project - and how you will make sure this person is acceptable to the workforce.

Agree the implementation and annual review plan.

Agree the code of conduct and consequences for breaking the code of conduct.

Make all staff aware of the scale, harm and cost of workplace abuse – against colleagues, subordinates, clients and whistleblowers.

Make all staff aware of the system you are implementing to prevent abuse and become a positive workplace

4. A code of conductAll existing and new staff sign – and sign again every year – an undertaking that they will not behave in unacceptable ways.We can provide an example of a code of conduct. We suggest it needs four parts:One. Abusive, threatening and intimidating behaviour and work sabotage.Two. Deception, manipulation and lying.Three. Working to further self-interest not the interest of the organisation.Four. Victimisation of whistleblowers.

5. A culture of challengeA toxic workplace culture is one where those who raise legitimate concerns are seen as threats. In a toxic culture reputations, status and enhancing careers become more important than providing a good service. This should be turned on its head. In a positive culture raising legitimate concerns and challenging should be welcomed and rewarded.

You need a climate and a process that allow staff to challenge, even more senior staff, without fear of consequences for themselves. (The aviation industry, where safety is so crucial, are leading the way in this area.)

You need a process to enable the organisation to look at itself and ask awkward questions

The idea of the "pre-mortem" can help here. This is a regular (six monthly or annual) meeting where key staff discuss, What's one of the worst things that could happen in our organisation? The group assume it has happened and then write the report on the history of the disaster - why it happened, what went wrong and what needs to change.

A culture of challenge is one where whistleblowers become unnecessary because the organisation whistleblows itself

6. Annual review

Repeat the implementation survey

Celebrate and publicise the improvement

Make the plan for the next year – what could be done better?

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